| Founded: | c. 1930 — Nuremberg, German Reich |
| (modern day Germany) | |
| Currently: | defunct |
Genos Kamerabau was an obscure German brand founded sometime in the early 1930s as Norisan Apparatebau in Nuremberg, Germany. Genos had a lineup of box cameras made almost exclusively from Bakelite (an early plastic) with a production run spanning from 1935 until the mid 1950s.
Not much is known about the company or why its name changed from Norisan to Genos after World War II. What we do know, however, is that they produced simple plastic box cameras like the Rapid for about 20 years. Most of them had simple, no frills lenses and single speed shutters, and utilized mainly medium format films with a few 35mm cameras along the way.
Genos Kamerabau disappeared from the industry circa 1956 after having produced over a dozen different camera models.
McKeown, James M. and Joan C. McKeown’s Price Guide to Antique and Classic Cameras, 2001-2002. (Grantsburg, WI, USA: Centennial Photo Service, 2001), p 243.
The Genos Rapid is a German box camera introduced in 1950 by Genos and made of Bakelite, an early plastic. Based in the Bavarian city of Nuremberg, the company was originally known as Norisan Apparatebau but after Germany was defeated in World War II (and the famous Nuremberg Trials had taken place), they decided to change their name to Genos Kamerabau.
